2024 Polls and Rankings

The Illinois and UCLA games are the two that hurt.  Those should have been winnable at home, but for whatever reason we still have players that think they can just show up and beat teams like that.  

 
Hilltop said:
Agree.  Illinois was the turning point imo.  
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What happened?  We were on fire for a good portion of those wins.  What were the differences between pre-Illinois and after that game?  That is what I am wondering.  Are we merely talking about weight of schedule to the point that we got found out after beating up on bunnies? 

 
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Hagg said:
What happened?  We were on fire for a good portion of those wins.  What were the differences between pre-Illinois and after that game?  That is what I am wondering.  Are we merely talking about weight of schedule to the point that we got found out after beating up on bunnies? 
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If I knew that answer I would be making a lot more money.  My guess is we got exposed some, lost some confidence, and the team and staff have been feeling ever increasing pressure since.  

 
Hagg said:
What happened?  We were on fire for a good portion of those wins.  What were the differences between pre-Illinois and after that game?  That is what I am wondering.  Are we merely talking about weight of schedule to the point that we got found out after beating up on bunnies? 
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I mean ... I don't know that it's really a turning point.  Or even a thing.  But we've definitely been on the wrong side of a lot of high-impact plays since that game.

Illinois

A TD pass was overturned to an INT

We completed a pass that could have been a TD but the receiver was out of bounds

We missed an open receiver that would have been a TD

We lose in overtime

Ohio State

We got shafted on a spot that threw off our drive before half (we probably only get a FG anyway)

We get stopped on downs at the 1, probably should have been a yard closer

We don't get any of several potential calls - including a couple big DPI calls

We lose by 4

USC

They get two big completions on passes that bounced off our defenders

We don't get either of two fairly obvious DPI calls

We lose by 8

Obviously we can do plenty of things better ourselves.  And probably things like these stand out more when we keep losing close games.

But at the same time, just just can't seem to get any breaks to help us.

 
Mavric said:
I mean ... I don't know that it's really a turning point.  Or even a thing.  But we've definitely been on the wrong side of a lot of high-impact plays since that game.

Illinois

A TD pass was overturned to an INT

We completed a pass that could have been a TD but the receiver was out of bounds

We missed an open receiver that would have been a TD

We lose in overtime

Ohio State

We got shafted on a spot that threw off our drive before half (we probably only get a FG anyway)

We get stopped on downs at the 1, probably should have been a yard closer

We don't get any of several potential calls - including a couple big DPI calls

We lose by 4

USC

They get two big completions on passes that bounced off our defenders

We don't get either of two fairly obvious DPI calls

We lose by 8

Obviously we can do plenty of things better ourselves.  And probably things like these stand out more when we keep losing close games.

But at the same time, just just can't seem to get any breaks to help us.
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The one that comes to mind was when a wide open receiver (I think it was Rutgers?) let the ball bounce of his face instead of catching an easy TD. But yeah, gotta figure out a way to make our own luck because the breaks have favored the other teams. 

 
Hagg said:
What happened?  We were on fire for a good portion of those wins.  What were the differences between pre-Illinois and after that game?  That is what I am wondering.  Are we merely talking about weight of schedule to the point that we got found out after beating up on bunnies? 
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Although I would argue that the biggest change is we were getting above-average QB up to that game and we've gotten below-average QB play since.

Plus the defense has not been as sharp. They don't a pretty good job limiting points (except against Indiana) but giving up a lot of yards.  This seems to be more pronounced in the secondary, where there are rumblings of our new DB coach not gelling into the scheme all that well.

 
Mavric said:
Although I would argue that the biggest change is we were getting above-average QB up to that game and we've gotten below-average QB play since.

Plus the defense has not been as sharp. They don't a pretty good job limiting points (except against Indiana) but giving up a lot of yards.  This seems to be more pronounced in the secondary, where there are rumblings of our new DB coach not gelling into the scheme all that well.
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Yes, a lot of this highlights the complexity of gelling a successful team in football.  I always envision a Head Coach being able to 1.  get his assistants on the exact same page as to style of football and how to make it come about, and 2.  inspire captains to deliver a perceived mission to the starters and others who want to take the field. 

That's just my view of things and it seems fundamental to me.  What we see unfolding on the field in games throughout the season (for quite some time, not just Rhule) is fragmented, moody, out of sync play as the games wear on.  I remember getting a feeling for the Husker Football mission going back to Solich and of course T.O.  You could feel it.  I think it was there with Pelini for a bit some of his strange career here, too. 

But these Rileys and Frosts and Rhules.. hell there is no more mission in these teams than a bunch of kids with a wannabe leader running around a grade school playground at recess.

 
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